Ben Stokes and Alex Hales named in England ODI squad

Ben Stokes is in line to make his England return next month after he and Alex Hales were provisionally selected for the one-day international series against Australia.

Stokes, currently playing for Canterbury Kings in New Zealand, and Hales have not been in action for England since September 24 after they were declared unavailable for international selection until further notice.

Match-winning all-rounder Stokes is not currently part of England’s ongoing Ashes Test tour as he waits to discover if he will be charged after his arrest on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm during a late-night fracas in Bristol on September 25.

Alex Hales is part of the 16-man squad (John Walton/PA)

Hales, also present during the incident outside a nightclub following England’s ODI win the previous day, will not face any charges.

The pair were named in a 16-man squad, accompanied by a brief England and Wales Cricket Board statement.

It read: “Selectors were given clear guidance to name their strongest squad and have made their selections accordingly.

Announcement: Here is our squad for the ODI series against Australia in the New Year.

England do not intend to rest any Test regulars such as Joe Root, Bairstow, Moeen Ali or Chris Woakes in the ODIs against Australia but may consider a break during the Twenty20 tri-series which follows.

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